What better place to photograph engagement photos in Portland in the fall than at Hoyt Arboretum? With so many beautiful trees to choose from…it makes for a great venue for portrait photography. So I traipsed around the park with Whitney and Paul, as we talked about their lives, their busy schedules, how they met, and their plans for their wedding. It’s coming up in October, at the lovely Ainsworth House in Oregon City. We love wedding photography at Ainsworth House, and can’t wait!

In spite of telling me that they feel awkward when being photographed, I couldn’t tell. They’re a lot of fun, and I think it shows in the photos.

Whitney and Paul thought long and hard about who to hire for their wedding photographer. They wanted a photographer that is affordable, yet artistic and experienced, whose wedding photography stands out from the crowd. (And there’s a real crowd of wedding photographers in Portland!) So we were really honored when they finally decided to ask us to be their wedding photographers!

Monica and Dave, both music lovers, fittingly met while studying music education together at the University of Oregon. Dave was also, funnily enough, very impressed by how white Monica kept her shoes, and, well, one thing led to another and Dave proposed. At the time, Monica’s ancient Jeep had recently broken down, and Dave not only surprised her with an engagement ring but also a key ring to new working car!

The newly engaged couple held their wedding in the summer with Mt. Hood as a backdrop while they said their vows. Arborvitae and rhododendron plants surrounded them. Their venue, Reardon Nursery in Boring, Oregon, was of special importance because their family owned it. Monica actually grew up on the property, and the two of them traveled from Medford where they live to host their wedding there. Exploring the far-flung corners of the nursery was particularly fun because we got to load up the entire bridal party into a couple SUVs and cruise the dirt roads between aisles of potted plants to find the best shooting locations.

Ashton and Jordan’s wedding weekend took place at a cabin in the mountains in Park City, Utah. The most important things to them when they were planning was the day 1) be intimate and 2) be in the mountains. These two are one of the most adventurous couples I know, and they made sure to include their most favorite things in their wedding day: mountains, adventure, and love. One of my favorite weddings to photograph to date!

Great weddings require the work of a lot of great people! Here are some who made this wedding so lovely:

venue: An aspen grove up in the Utah mountains and reception at a cabin near Solitude Ski Resort

We really enjoy helping people get started with their modeling and acting careers. When Seneca’s mom approached us about a model portfolio photoshoot in Portland, we were excited. She wanted a test shoot to see how Seneca would look in professional photos, and to see how she would do in front of the camera. And she did great! Check out those beautiful eyes! And such a sweet personality.
With our test shoot photos in hand, Seneca was able to get signed with a local modeling agency. Congratulations, Seneca!

Eric and Chelsea had a gorgeous, intimate wedding at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Their entire day was full of emotion and adventure with their dearest loved ones. They went with a bohemian theme, including some colorful Mexican touches. Their ceremony was at the Shakespeare Garden and reception at Coffee Bar. We loved every moment of getting to capture it all!

Amazing weddings and great wedding photography can only happen because a lot of people worked really hard! Many thanks to the following for making this wedding such an amazing day!

It’s really fun to see shy people relax in front of my camera. It might take a little encouragement, a little coaxing, but I have a knack for it. Even the shyest people end up enjoying our photo shoots together.

So when Michelle wanted a modeling portfolio test shoot, she admitted she was nervous. I assured her, as our hair and makeup stylist worked with her, that she was going to do great. And she did!

In spite of it being January in Oregon–a generally cold, wet, and gray month–we lucked out. As we photographed her test shoot, the sun slowly pushed away the fog, and came streaming through the trees. It was a stunning moment, and the photographs show it.

The photos also show how Michelle relaxed and became more comfortable in front of the camera…

Michelle, thank you for letting us photograph your modeling portfolio, and help you get started as a model. You’re going to do great!

Charity Hermsen-Fenley -Thank you Fritz! Your professionalism helped her break out of her shell. If it hadn’t been for you being well, you, she wouldn’t have been as comfortable.

May 26, 2016 - 10:43 am

fritzphoto-Thanks, Charity! I loved working with her, and love helping young people break out of their shells! It’s one of my favorite parts of my work, making people feel comfortable in front of the camera while I’m photographing model portfolios or senior portraits.

I met Emily in photography school in Hawaii, and would’ve never thought I’d be capturing her wedding day five years late. Emily and Tommy tied the knot on a beautiful Christmas tree farm in New Jersey. Their wedding had so many beautiful handmade touches, and the most breathtaking, intimate moments. Loved how original their entire gorgeous day was!

One of the sweetest wedding day moments ever: they didn’t want to see each other before the wedding, but they did want to pray together. This is how they worked it out!

In spite of temperatures hovering around 100 degrees, Jenn and Jim still managed to have a great time at their Fourth of July wedding. (And so did their wedding photographers….)

Held at Portland’s own McMenamin’s Crystal Ballroom, the wedding was a lot of fun. All of the McMenamins locations are so interesting–lots of history, great art from local artists, cool architecture. Plus the Crystal Ballroom’s spring-loaded dance floor, and some amazing old chandeliers…they make great wedding venues.

We took the wedding party over to the Pearl District’s Tanner Springs Park for some group photos. It was a quick trip…the heat promised to melt anyone who stayed outside too long….

Jim and Jenn paid a little extra to have the Crystal Ballroom put this notice on the readerboard facing Burnside Street. It was totally worth it. It said: “Step 1: Get married. Step 2: Party.” And party they did!

To keep cool before the wedding, everyone headed downstairs to the Ringler’s Pub, for ice cream, cold drinks, and shuffleboard.

Loved this clever wedding cake topper!

There were so many cool details at this wedding! One favorite: the temporary tattoos with Jim and Jenn’s names and wedding date on them. They were a big hit.

Jenn and Jim also had us bring our Portland PhotoBooth, with a little bit of a Fourth of July theme. Their wedding guests made good use of it!

Weddings don’t just happen on their own, but require a lot of work by a lot of people. Here are some of the wedding vendors that made Jenn and Jim’s wedding day so amazing!

For many people, working with a wedding photographer can be a stressful or uncomfortable occasion. So one of the best compliments we get from a bride is that we made her feel comfortable in front of the camera. And that’s what Kinessa told us after her wedding: that she hates being in front of the camera, but with us she felt safe and comfortable. Which makes us feel good. (We had an engagement portrait session together a couple months before the wedding, too, which helped warm her up for the wedding day.)

Candy also makes us feel good. And a candy bar at a wedding is a lot of fun for everyone! Check out the detail below of the Hershey’s Kisses Zach and Kinessa served, with their names and wedding date on the bottom!

We always enjoy working with AJ’s Hair Design and Makeup at weddings. Their team of stylists does such a great job, and they’re always so pleasant to be around. Everyone loves them!

Other wedding venues should take note: it doesn’t take guys long to get ready for a wedding. So the fact that Zenith Vineyard has a pinball machine in the men’s dressing room (along with other goodies) is brilliant! Every time we photograph a wedding at Zenith Vineyard, the guys are in there playing pinball and goofing around prior to the wedding.

Meanwhile, the girls are getting dressed. And writing on each other’s shoes, as Kinessa’s bridesmaids did for her:

Kinessa and Zach were married at Zenith Vineyard, outside of Salem, Oregon, in December, which can be a cold, gray, and wet month for weddings in Oregon. And it was cold, wet, and gray. But we took advantage of a break in the rain, and made some beautiful outdoor portraits on the vineyard grounds, nonetheless. It really helps that Zenith is both large, and beautiful, so there are many places to photograph there, even in inclement weather. (It also helps that our team of experienced professional wedding photographers knows how to light things well, even at dusk on a winter’s day in Oregon!)

(It also helps that Kinessa is really beautiful.)

You can’t see him here, but one of Zach’s groomsmen, Chad, is in the gully behind that rock wall, holding our flash up. Now that is some dedication; a true friend.

And yes, Zach and his guys all wore superhero socks.

The wedding coordinators at Zenith Vineyard were so gracious; they let us photograph the bride and groom and wedding party in the vineyard’s wine cellar. If you know how to light it right, it’s a beautiful space for wedding photos!

After the ceremony, the toasts and dance party were both a lot of fun.

And so was our PhotoBooth! I think more people were in the Photobooth than were on the dance floor!

Zach and Kinessa, thank you for letting us be part of your wedding day. It was a real honor to be your wedding photographers!